


In the Mall

by edibleflowers



Category: Popslash
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-15
Updated: 2012-09-15
Packaged: 2017-11-14 07:13:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/512688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edibleflowers/pseuds/edibleflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Christmas shopping stresses Joey out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Mall

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in December of 2007 at a prompt from lemniskate. It's set in Orlando, post-Germany.

"Come on, Chris, you're not going to find anything in here." Joey slumped against the clothing rack, scowling when he got a dirty look from another shopper who was trying to look through the shirts there, and straightened again, moving closer to Chris. "J doesn't go for this shit anyway, he really only wants North Carolina stuff."

"He's a plebe," Chris said blithely, "who needs education in the way of the Steelers." With a triumphant cackle, he pulled a jersey from the bottom of the pile and brandished it in Joey's face, ignoring the fact that the stack of shirts was precariously close to toppling over. Joey reached over to steady the pile, pushing Chris away with his free hand.

"Great, fine, you found the last Steelers jersey in the store, can we go now?"

"Jeez." Chris shot Joey a look, one eyebrow raised, as he added the shirt to the pile of clothing he'd already accumulated. "You're a mean one, Mister Grinch."

"I'm just tired of this." Finally satisfied that the jerseys weren't going to fall all over the floor of the sporting goods store, Joey reached for some of Chris's purchases to help him carry them to the register. "I hate Christmas shopping. Everything's so crowded, everyone's fighting over two things, the lines are three miles long and you have to park three miles away from the store."

"So it's exercise." Chris grinned, poking Joey in the ribs. "Admit it, Fatone, you're just mad 'cause we don't have girls chasing us everywhere here."

"Are you kidding?" Joey shook his head, allowing a chuckle at that. "It's a fricking relief not being followed around. We could never have done this in Germany. Remember that time Lance wanted to go check out that one souvenir shop and we had to have like six bodyguards blocking the door for the five minutes we were in there?"

Chris laughed, too, as they got in line. "And then we had to get out of there because the clerk was freaking out so bad. Lance was pissed."

Joey found himself grinning. "Now we can't even get anyone to look at us twice. I never thought I'd actually be relieved to be anonymous."

"It won't last," Chris said softly, glancing up at Joey. Joey smiled, recognizing the look in Chris's eyes, the sheer ambition and determination. "You know it won't."

"We're still playing in parking lots," Joey pointed out, content as always to play devil's advocate to Chris's burning hunger for success. "That doesn't exactly scream 'future pop superstar'."

"All we need is one break over here. The music scene is changing, radio's changing, it's going to happen." Chris was embarking on a well-rehearsed rant, but Joey didn't mind; if nothing else, at least it made their time in line pass swiftly.

By the time Chris had reached the familiar point that European pop was already making a dent in American airwaves, they had made it through the line and emerged at last from the store. Though it was close to closing time, the main corridor of the mall was still packed with shoppers hurrying from one store to the next in search of the perfect Christmas present. Joey hiked up his own shopping bags, weighed down with gifts for the others in the group, for his parents and friends, and glared at Chris, who, despite the long hours of shopping they'd endured, was still bright-eyed and energetic. "Please tell me we're finished now."

"I need something for your parents."

Joey rolled his eyes. "You got something for them already. Remember? Last week? When we went over to Kissimmee?"

"Oh, that's right." Chris sighed and looked around. His eyes lit up. "Dude. Electronics Boutique! I can get--"

"You already got something for Lance," Joey said with a groan. "And JC. And me, for that matter."

Chris glanced up at him, one eyebrow going up. "OK, Joe, I know I didn't get you anything yet."

It was Joey's turn to grin now, and he leaned in to nudge Chris's shoulder with his own, taking the opportunity to tip his mouth close to Chris's ear. "You already promised. Remember, your apartment, tonight? Candles and dinner and... everything else?"

He let himself savor the experience of watching Chris's face blush bright red before turning to saunter away.


End file.
